Cut nails and plywood edges

[Tim Gillane]

I'm building a cabinet from 3/4" red oak, I intend to use plywood for the back. I'm using Tremont 2" Decorative Wrought Head black oxide finish cut nails for a period look. How thick a piece of plywood should I use to avoid splitting if I'm nailing into the side/edge of the plywood? I'd be drilling pilot hole first. I was thinking 1/2" or 3/4" plywood. The back would not be weight-bearing; I'll leave that to a 2/4 piece on the back at the top, nailed in to the sides and top. Also, is that edge nailing feasible, or a pretty dim idea?

[Jeff Duncan]

This is one your going to have to try on scrap first. Just nailing into the edge will surely split 3/4" plywood, so your right to want to pre-drill. However you need to find just the right size for the particular nails your using. Cut nails are usually rectangular which will make things tricky. So take some of your scrap ply and do a couple tests to find what the best pilot hole will be.....if there is one that works best that is:confused:

Of course if it's the back the "look" might not matter anyway so you could avoid it using modern screws. Or if it does really matter tapered slotted head screws would do the trick and likely be a bit more straightforward.

good luck,
JeffD

[Lee Schierer]

So take some of your scrap ply and do a couple tests to find what the best pilot hole will be.....if there is one that works best that is

I think I would use a tapered drill bit for the pilot holes and maybe try elongating them by wiggling the drill bit side to side to make an oval shaped tapered hole. Once you have your pilot holes try lubricating the nail sides with beeswax.

[Tim Gillane]

Thank you!

[Robert Engel]

I don't think the thickness will matter that much so long as you drill the hole just right. Even it it does blow out a bit, its the back. That being said, I would go with 1/2" rather than 1/4".

I've used cut nails and find a tapered drill works best. If nailing into plywood don't drill a pilot hole. For other wood it depends on what kind of wood it is, e.g. for pine no pilot hole, for oak definitely a pilot hole, but since you're using 2" nails, a pilot hole helps keep the nail from blowing out the side if the grain is wonky.

Also, orientation of the nail long way parallel to edge.